


Shifting Loyalties

by TerraCorrupt



Series: 100 List [8]
Category: Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:15:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28353786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TerraCorrupt/pseuds/TerraCorrupt
Summary: Part of a Secret Santa from Twitter for #ShinraHoliday2020 (Guess who forgot the actual hashtag). Written for @SaitheWriter.Tseng finds out about a dark secret in Reno's past, leverages it to shift those loyalties after a loving Christmas night.Intended as a jumping off point for more along this series. <3
Relationships: Reno/Tseng (Compilation of FFVII)
Series: 100 List [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1072620
Comments: 3
Kudos: 12





	Shifting Loyalties

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SaiTheWriter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaiTheWriter/gifts).



“Another job well done.” The boisterous red head announced as he strolled up to the Director’s desk. He had been pleased with his recruitment efforts involving a blonde who was likely going to get himself killed in the training. But he’d performed well. The recruit had skills that could be refined in SOLDIER if he didn’t wash out. Reno dropped the report on the desk and leaned against the edge nonchalantly. He gave his superior a knowing smirk. They knew what the recruit was in for, but it wasn’t their problem. “His name is Roche, real reckless kind of guy, but he’s got excellent driving skills already, but he doesn’t seem to care if anyone gets hurt.”

“That so?” Tseng did not look up from the report already in front of him. He trusted his men to handle their work quickly and efficiently, with his Deputy being on the top of that list. Reading this report was not as high on the list, but the level of praise drew his curiosity. Tseng closed the folder in front of him, laying his pen down alongside it. He reached for Reno’s report, “Found your long-lost brother, then?” He quipped while his brown eyes flicked up to the other’s face. The stunned expression was enough to elicit a chuckle while he sat back and opened the folder. The comment hit its mark.

Reno’s shock wore off almost immediately. He sucked in a breath for a retort, but found it dying on his lips this time. Mostly. “We could test that theory next time you need an emergency midnight helicopter ride.” He crossed his arms over his chest, shifting his weight to the other leg. While it wasn’t necessarily his duty to be the one out testing SOLDIER recruits, he did have a trainee who needed to know how it was done. He liked the kid, they were a lot alike, so he knew his trainee would go far if he could keep his temper under wraps.

“There’s an envelope for you on the desk,” Tseng changed the topic artfully, ignoring Reno’s comment. They both knew Reno would run through Ifrit’s fire without hesitation for him. Tseng’s eye twitched lightly at the tension he felt from his Deputy when he turned to the large conference table in the middle of the room. Each of his men had their places there, though Reno tended to sit wherever he wanted.

Reno stiffened at the message. He glanced where the calendar hung on the wall and dropped his eyes. It was _that_ envelope. The one he’d gotten every year. Reno cleared his throat and walked to his assigned place at the conference table. He sat next to Tseng during formal meetings as Deputy Director, though the entire crew knew he hardly went by those titles, and sassed whomever he pleased within their Division, and allowed them the same courtesy with him. He grabbed up the envelope that looked like any other formal correspondence from the Company. “You got plans tonight?” He tried not to let his voice betray the tension he felt at what he was about to open. Of course, he earned the bonus he received...

The paper ripped more savagely than expected, Reno’s fingers betraying his disgust at the money… He pulled check from it and looked at the amount automatically. This one was for more than usual. It came from the President’s personal account.

_Another year of stellar performance, Reno. I included an increase in your bonus for your decade of dedicated service to me. Keep up the good work. – President Shinra._

In years past, he’d folded the letter and returned it to the envelope. This time, he balled the letter up and threw it at the trashcan, a fit of rage taking over his mind. “Who does he think he is?!” Reno shouted at the desk as if it would answer him. Though the letter was balled up, he couldn’t bring himself to rip apart the check. The money was too good. And he’d always taken the money.

“Reno.”

Reno tensed and turned to the Director’s desk. He sighed heavily and shook his head. He slipped the check into the inner pocket of his jacket. “You got plans tonight, Director?” He started again. Worrying about being paid for his unofficial duties could happen later. “It’s about time you and I clocked out for the night.” He walked back to the man’s desk, resting a hand on his hip. “Come home with me. I’m makin dinner.” He smirked, though his eyes didn’t shine. “Ain’t fun cookin for one.” It was Christmas Even, and he didn’t want to be alone.

“I’ll be by within two hours. This paperwork must be done tonight.” Tseng nodded his assent of the plans for that evening. He enjoyed Reno’s cooking and baking. It was like a secret for only the Turks to enjoy. Something was off about the younger man, but it wasn’t readily apparent what, and he kept his own council. He lifted his hand in a shallow dismissal signal to his subordinate.

After Reno had left, the spring returned to his step, Tseng’s eyes floated to the balled-up paper laying carelessly by the waste basket. There was an unopened bottle of whisky in the top drawer for a special occasion. Christmas seemed to be that occasion.

***

Reno hadn’t noticed the time. As soon as he entered his company home, it felt as if his worries faded to dust. There was at least a week before he’d be muscled into the President’s office to perform his oral duties. He went into his home, feeling the warmth and love that he and his mom and brother put into decorating. The red-head strolled into the bedroom of his generously appointed condo. Rank certainly had its privileges. Reno sighed and slipped out of his jacket, dropping it to the floor, along with his white shirt, and the goggles. Now at home, he could let his hair down. Nabbing a shirt, he slipped it over his chest, then changed out of his slacks for a pair of relaxed fitting pants. He could be more casual, but if Tseng really did make it, looking like a total slob wasn’t an option.

Reno found his way back to the kitchen and went through the cupboards for a few pans. He set the cookware on the stove and turned to the spice rack in the next cupboard. He hadn’t cooked for Tseng in so long, but he remembered the man appreciated more subtle and complex flavors that complimented each other. “Hmmm…” Reno relaxed while selecting the spices from the rack. “You better come, Tseng.” He chuckled to himself while flitting around the kitchen for the ingredients he needed. “Four courses are out. That’d take too much time. But I got those steaks…”

Twisting his head on his neck, Reno went to the stereo in the living room and put on some high energy pop music produced by Shinra Records. No one, except Rude, knew he listened to that noise, but his partner didn’t seem to mind when they listened to it together. Reno went back to the kitchen and lost himself in seasoning the steaks. He used the seasonings, letting himself get lost in the simple act of making food for someone he cared about. He smiled, more of his frustrations melting away while the meat settled. It wasn’t time to cook that just yet. Next, he turned his attention to the vegetables. It was cold outside, so they needed food to stick to the soul.

With the main part of the meal now set to cook, Reno went to the old cookbook on a bookshelf. “Thanks, mom,” he murmured, his long fingers brushing lovingly over the old cover. Inside the book were recipes that had been passed down though their family for a few generations, and family photos of him and his brother covered in flour with the biggest grins. He and Johnny had no sisters, so the cookbook came to him. “Hmmmm… What would Tseng like for dessert?” Reno asked himself while flipping through the pages. He settled on a vanilla bean bread pudding with a bourbon caramel sauce. The warm and hearty flavors would be good to push away the chill from the cold outside.

***

With the dessert in the oven, Reno smirked to himself. The plates were prepared. Reno found his way to the stereo and changed it over to something softer. More mood enhancing. The local radio station had good music on tonight. Reno laughed at the thought. “Hot date tonight, Reno. Gotta treat him right.” He went to his desk and pulled out a half-smoked pack of cigarettes. He forgot if Tseng smoked, but there were enough to share. Well, it was all done, wasn’t it? Now all he had to do was sit back and wait.

It was like Tseng knew Reno had finished his preparations. A knock on the door announced the presence of the Director. Reno mastered his desire to race over to let his guest in. Instead, he strolled over, a hand in his pocket. He felt safe in his home and let his guard down. “Director,” he pulled open the door, the smirk on his face widening as he saw his supervisor wearing his suit and a heavy jacket against the snow. “Take your coat?” He asked politely while stepping out of the way for the taller man.

Tseng stepped into the company housing unit. It wasn’t as well-appointed as his own, but that didn’t mean it was poor by any means. He remembered when his quarters were smaller. Had that only been a few years ago? Things were different then. Simpler for him as Deputy Director. “I brought you a gift, Reno.” He set the tall bag down on a nearby table, so the coat slid down the long arms gracefully. He gestured to the bag and walked further into the condo, inhaling the scent of the sweetness of the dessert still baking in the oven. “I didn’t know you could bake.” He’d prided himself on knowing everything about his men, but a few talents seemed to have slipped through the cracks.

“Yeah, well… Mom ran the best bakery in the Slums, right? So, you know, I picked up a few things. Now she runs the best bakery in Sec--!” Reno pulled the paper from the bag and retrieved the bottle from it. Holding it firmly by the neck, he lifted the label up to his eye-level for examination. His blood ran cold at how expensive he knew that distillation to be. “Director!” Reno’s voice rose half an octave in pitch. He cleared his throat quickly and lowered the bottle.

“Merry Christmas, Reno.”

“Thank you, Tseng,” he whispered, lifting his eyes from the label on the bottle. The green eyes had a tinge of red as the emotions built in him and his chest tightened. He leaned his cheek into the hand against it. This hand had warmth, the thumb brushing against the red tattoo on his cheek wanted nothing from him. Demanded nothing.

“You’re welcome,” Tseng whispered, leaning down until he could press his lips to Reno’s other cheek. With his free hand, he put it around Reno’s waist. He pulled the smaller man close against his chest. They breathed together slowly until Tseng pulled away and took the bottle from the trembling hands. “I’ll pour while you serve.” The Director knew the condo, his had been laid out the same back then. He stepped into the kitchen and saw a pair of plates covered by plain cloches. They had both been too busy to enjoy a meal together in some time. He brought a pair of glasses down from the display of whisky tumblers and retrieved the whisky stones for their drinks. “It seems you’ve done the hard part already.”

Reno sighed lightly when he was released. Tseng seemed willing to rekindle the romance that had been smoldering between them since he got promoted. He went to the tray where the plates had been loaded. “Yeah!” He picked up the tray and lead Tseng to the table. It was against the wall with only three sides open for them to sit at. Reno set their plates down beside each other so they could sit closer. Removing the cloches, he was pleased to see steam still rising from the plates. He’d timed everything perfectly. “Hope you like it.”

***

Reno twitched awake in his bed. He took a deep breath and stretched as far as his limbs would go. He felt comfortably sore from the previous evening’s events, though a few scenes were blurry from the whisky... With a gasp, he turned to the other half of his bed. Finding it empty, Reno bit his lip. Had Tseng snuck out? Probably… Usually he was the one who left before his partner awakened.

With a sigh, the redhead drug himself from the bed. His work clothes had been hung on the back of the door, with his play clothes laid over a chair. A different shirt was on top of the pile. Tseng hadn’t left after all. Reno chuckled to himself and put the white shirt on. He buttoned it over his stomach. The shirt was long enough to cover most of body. The shorter man found his way out to the main area of the couch, finding the smells of breakfast and coffee starting to fill the home. He hadn’t slept in too long after all. And there was Tseng in the middle of it all, shirt missing. Reno’s face scrunched at the full-back tattoo of Leviathan with misty water patterns punctuated by pink flowers. An unusual ink for someone like them.

“Good morning.” Tseng announced as Reno approached. He pushed a cup of coffee to his subordinate, smirking at the pale thighs beneath the edge of his shirt, light marks from scratches remaining. He knew Reno had that type of romantic heart. “Breakfast will be ready soon.” He pressed closer for a kiss, cupping the pale cheek as he had the night before. After the kiss, he stared into the passionate green eyes. Tseng returned to his cooking, plating the simple meal as carefully as Reno had their dinner. “Food is an expression of love, yes?” He handed over a plate with eggs, toast, and ham.

After they settled into the table with their food, Reno regarded it briefly. It smelled great. “Thanks, Tseng!” He put his fork into the food and began eating. It took little time for him to determine the taste was great. It couldn’t have just been because he was hungry. Tseng actually knew his way around the kitchen. The red head sat back slowly when the other man moved and retrieved a smoothed-out piece of paper.

“How long has this been going on?” Their couple time was over, and business tended to. Tseng put the letter in front of his lover, staring at him. He already knew the answers to the questions. It could be a one-sided conversation. “How often does it happen?” Tseng saw Reno’s shoulders tense. He didn’t want to talk about it. The abuse had become internalized. Tseng put a hand on the other’s, not clamping down when the limb was yanked away. “Reno. Answer me.”

Reno dropped his hands into his lap. He didn’t want to talk about how he earned his place in the Company, though becoming Deputy Director had been all his hard work. “No. We’re not having that conversation, just because we’ve had some drinks and an energetic night.” He slapped his other hand down onto the letter, drawing it toward himself. The large hand crashing down on his wrist with a vice-grip prevented any further movement. Reno grunted when pressure forced his hand up from the paper. The offending letter was removed from the table.

“Then let me tell you how things are going to change.”

Tseng’s voice had the authoritative edge to it that he only used when orders were to be followed faster than instantly. “You don’t do this anymore.” Tseng shook the paper gently. From his pocket, he withdrew a black lighter with golden filigree. “Your loyalty is to me. My word is absolute until I say otherwise.” He flicked the flint until a flame burst from the lighter’s wick. “But I’ll be using your looks to get my way from President Shinra.” He put the corner of the paper to the fire, watching the offending letter burn until it needed to be dropped on the empty breakfast plate. “It’s our secret.”


End file.
